Lockport Man Accused of Grabbing Steering Wheeling and Causing An Accident

A 32-year-old Lockport man was arrested on Monday night after he allegedly grabbed the steering wheel of a vehicle he was in a passenger in causing the vehicle off the roadway. It was at 6:55pm that officers were called to the 2500 block of West Jefferson Street after receiving calls regarding a traffic crash. Upon arrival, Officers determined that one of the vehicles involved in the crash was driven by a female and  Richard Garcia was a passenger as well as a one-year old child in a car seat in the back seat.

The investigation showed that Garcia and the female were involved in an argument prior to the crash. During the argument, Garcia grabbed the steering wheel from the front passenger seat and intentionally veered the vehicle to the left, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway, striking an
unoccupied parked vehicle in a nearby business parking lot.

Garcia indicated to the driver that he had multiple warrants for his arrest and he then fled the scene of the crash on foot. Officers checking the area located Garcia hiding between vehicles in a nearby parking lot and placed him into custody without incident. The driver and child were uninjured in the crash. Richard Garcia has been charged with Endangering Life/Health of a Child, Criminal Damage to Property, Reckless Conduct, Obstructing a Peace Officer and four active Will County arrest warrants.